Timer



July 13, 1937. L. w. COREN 2,086,995

TIMER Filed June 4, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 4, 1955 H X i i I a 7 l i KW. CQIEQEN TIMER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 T 1 l s TWTTGI OTWRTWW L. O P: D

Patented July 13, 1937 UNITED STATES TIMER Lewis W. Goren, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Zenith Electric Company, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application June 4, 1935, Serial No. 24,788

6 Claims.

This invention relates to circuit control apparatus, and has for an object the provision of a novel and an improved control device for making and breaking electrical circuits at predetermined periodic intervals.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a device which is adjustable, whereby the controlled circuit may be completed or interrupted at variable predetermined intervals.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such a time control device which may be automatically reset, whereby the completion or interruption of the circuit may be repeated at desired intervals.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a time control device of simple construction and operation, but positive and reliable.

Other objects of the invention include the provision of the novel arrangements and combinations of elements as hereinafter described and claimed, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a time control device embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1, at a slightly different scale, and shows the relation of the timer control switch and its driving means in a set position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation with,

parts broken away, showing the timer control switch in its closed position;

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3, showing the timer control switch in its open position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical cross section of the time control device showing the driving means coupled in driving relationship with the operating means for the time control switch;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross section taken substantially along the lines 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a cross section taken substantially along the lines of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section taken substantially along the lines 8-8 of Fig. 7 and Fig. 9 is a schematic wiring diagram of the novel time control device.

Illustrative of the invention, circuit switch means I I are provided as shown in Fig. 9, for con trolling the supply of electrical energy from a terminal or binding post I2, and a terminal or binding post l3, to a terminal or binding post |4, whereby a load having one side |5 connected to the terminal I4, and its other side I6 connected to a terminal or binding post I1, may be electrically connected to, and disconnected from, a supply line with one side |8 connected to the conductor 25 to one terminal of the timer switch means 22, and a conductor 26 from the other terminal of the timer switch means 22 to the terminal l3. A main control or pilot switch 21 is connectible between terminals l2 and I3 by conductors 28 and 29, respectively, for controlling the energy supply of the novel timer apparatus.

For assembling the circuit switch means I I, the solenoid means 2|, the timer switch means 22, and the driving means M in operative relationship, a substantially rectangular panel 3| is provided with an aperture 32 near the upper end and centrally of the panel, an aperture 33 spaced laterally and below the aperture 32, a pair of spaced studs or stops 34 and 35 projecting from the front face of the panel 3| between the apertures 32 and 33, and a slot or cut away portion 36 in the lower end of the panel for receivinga terminal strip 31 carrying the terminals l2, I3, I4, and H, and secured as at 38 to the panel 3 At the rear face of the panel 3|, the driving means M, including an electric motor 39 and suitable speed reducing mechanism 39' therefor, is carried on a mounting plate 4| supported in spaced relationship with the panel 3| by spacers 42 secured as at 43 at their opposite ends to the panel 3|, and the plate 4|, and has a drive shaft 44 extending through the plate 4| toward the panel 3|. The outer end of the shaft 44 is supported or journaled in a bracket 45 secured as at 46 to the plate 4|.

The driving means M is adapted to drive a friction clutch element 41 which is fixed on the shaft 44 between the bracket 45 and the plate 4|, and which may take the form of a soft rubber ring 48 between retaining rings or discs 49 at opposite sides thereof. Another clutch element 5| like the clutch element 41 with its soft rubber ring 52 held between retaining rings or discs 53 is carried on a sleeve 54 having an enlarged portion 55 intermediate its ends for spacing the clutch element 5| from a disc 51 which, with the clutch element 5|, is fixed on the sleeve and which'fs connected to the clutch element 8| by a pin 88, as shown best in Fig. '7.

The sleeve 84 carrying the clutch element and the disc 81. is fixed on the inner end of a shaft 59 for rotation therewith, thev center portion of which is embraced by a sleeve 6| having an end flange 62 abutting the adjacent end of the sleeve 54. The shaft and its embracing sleeve 6| are receivable in the aperture 32, so that the clutch element 5| and the disc 51 are aligned with the clutch element 41 and are at the rear face of the panel 3|, the shaft projecting beyond the front face of the panel 3| and carrying at that end a sleeve 63 which is fixed on the shaft for rotation therewith, and which has an end flange 63 spaced from the panel 3| by a spacing sleeve 64 on the sleeve 6|, and a threaded shank portion 65 with an unthreaded shank portion 65 intermediate the threaded portion 65 and the flange 63. The threaded portion 65 of the sleeve 63 has a flat side 66 for facilitating drivingly coupling the shaft to switch operating means for the timer switch means 22, as will presently be described.

In order to drive the shaft 59 from the shaft 44 of the driving means M, the clutch elements 41 and 5| cooperate with a reciprocable clutch element 61 in the form of a rotatable disc having a rough surface 68 and carried on a plunger 69 between spaced collars 1| and 12, the disc being normally yieldably urged against the lower face of the collar 1| by a coil spring 12 encircling the plunger between the collar 12 and the lower face of the disc 61. The reciprocable plunger 69 is guidably receivable in apertures 13 in the ends of spaced brackets 13 secured as at 14 to the rear face of the panel 3| and extending rearwardly therefrom, respectively above and below the shaft aperture 32, whereby reciprocation of the plunger 69 will cause the rough surface 68 of the disc 61 to engage and disengage the rubber rings 48 and 52 on the shafts 44 and 59, respectively.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 2, 5, and 6, the lower end of the plunger 69 is supported on a block 15 of insulating material fixed to and revciprocable with the ,upper end of the core or armature 16 of the solenoid 2| for operating the clutch just described. The solenoid includes, in addition to its armature or core 16, a solenoid winding 11 and a magnetic frame 18 having vertical mounting strips 19 secured as at 8| to the rear face of the panel 3|, and a horizontal strip 82.

The solenoid 2| is adapted to operate the circuit switch means II which comprises a pair of switch contact members 83 carried on an insulating plate 84 secured on the horizontal strip 82, one of the contact members 83 being connected by a conductor 85 to the terminal I4, and the other contact member 83 being connected by a conductor 86 to the terminal I2. A switch member or arm 81 is carried on the shank of a pin 88 in the insulating block 15, and is arranged on the pin between a pin flange or head 89 and the upper end of a coil spring 9|, the lower end of which engages an abutment 92 on the shank of the pin 88, whereby the spring yieldably urges the switch arm 81 against the pin head 89. That switch arm 81 is adapted to span between, and contact with, the switch contact members 83, whereby to close the switch when the solenoid 2| is energized.

As shown in Fig. 9, the switch means II also comprises another pair of contact members 83 on the insulating plate 84 at the opposite side of the insulating block 15 from the contact members 83. Those contact members 83 cooperate with a switch arm 84, like the switch arm 81. but carried at the opposite side of the insulating block 15 for electrically connecting the contact members 93 together when the solenoid 2| is energized. One of the contact members 93 is connected by a conductor 95 to the conductor 26, and the other contact member 83 is connected by a conductor 96 to the conductor 86. In that manner, the switch means I I shunts the solenoid 2| and the driving means M, whereby upon energization of the solenoid and the closing of the switch means, the starting or initial energy requirements of the solenoid and driving means in excess of that required to maintain their energization, may be utilized in supplying the load.

As already explained, the timer switch means 22 controls the energy supply of the solenoid 2| and the driving means M. That timer switch means 22 comprises, as seen in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, a contact member 81 carried on a bracket 88 secured as at 99 to the rear face of the panel 3|, and a contact member I8I carried by and insulated from a swingable U-shaped member I82 having its upstanding arms I83, respectively pivoted as at I84 to the rear face of the panel 3|, and an arm I85 spaced therefrom and secured as at I86 to the rear face of the panel 3|. The contact member III is normally held in engagement or electrical contact with the contact member 91 by a toggle arm or link I81 connected as at I88 to the U-shaped member I82, the link I81 having a portion I89 loosely receivable in a transverse aperture I II of a pin II2 carried between spaced arms II 3, which are fixed on the rear end of a shaft I I4 journaled intermediate its ends in the aperture 33. A spring I I5 on the link I81 resiliently holds the spaced arms I I3 and the U-shaped member I 82 in their respective positions for maintaining the contact member I8I in its closed and open positions with respect to the contact member 91.

At the outer end of the shaft I I4, and outwardly of the panel 3|, 8. switch operating arm. H6 is fixed on the shaft H4 and projects therefrom to a position between the limiting studs 34 and 35. By moving the arm 6 from the stud 34 to the stud 35, the switch means 22 is opened and by moving the arm back to its normal position of engagement with the stud 34, the switch means 22 is closed. An object of this invention is so to operate the timer switch means 22 that the solenoid 2| will operate the circuit switch means II at predetermined intervals, and to provide means for automatically resetting the apparatus, whereby thecycle may be repeated.

To that end, a disc H1 is calibrated and provided with indicia II8 to provide an indicating dial. That disc or dial has a shaft aperture II9 therein with a fiat side I2I, so that it may be carried on the shaft 63 to rotate therewith. The disc H1 is provided with a pin I22 normally engaging the arm II6 when it is in engagement with the stud 34 and the switch means 22 is closed. The disc is so calibrated that the indicia II8 indicate the times required for the driving means M through the clutch means to rotate the disc through the respective arcs defined by the calibrations on the disc.

Associated with the disc H1 is an arm, I23 receivable on the unthreadedportion 65' of the sleeve 63 between the disc H1 and the flange 63', and extending radially to the periphery of the disc where the arm is provided with a pointer or finger I24 cooperating withthe indicia II 8 for indicating time intervals. Intermediate the ends of the arm, 2. lug or finger I25 is provided for engaging the switch operating arm H6 to move it in a switch opening direction. The disc H1 and the arm I23 may be clamped together for rotation with the sleeve 63 and the shaft 59 by a knurled nut I26 threadingly engaging the thread ed portion 65 of the sleeve 63.

By loosening the nut I26, the arm I23 may be swung about the shaft 59 until the pointer I24 indicates on' the disc the time interval desired for operating the circuit switch means I I, whereupon the nut 26 may be tightened to clamp the arm I23 between the disc H1 and the flange 63 of the sleeve 63, and thereby to cause the arm I23 to rotate with the disc I I1 and the shaft 59.

A spiral spring I21 is arranged about the sleeve 54 between the clutch member 5I and the disc 51, and is anchored at its inner end to the pin 58. The outer end of the spring is anchored as at I28 to the upper plunger or arm 13. In that manner, the disc H1 is yieldably held in its normal position with the pinv I 22 yieldably holding the switch operating arm II6 against the limiting stud 3,4, whereby to hold the timer switch means 22 closed.

Before closing the main control switch 21, the knurled nut I26 may be loosened and the arm I23 swung about theshaft 59 toward or away from the pin I22 until the pointer I24 registers with the desired time interval of the indicia II8 on the dial or disc II1 whereupon the nut I26 is tightened to lock the arm I23 for rotation with the disc II1 and the shaft 59. Upon closing the main control switch 21 after such adjustment of the arm I23, the parallel connected solenoid 2| and driving means M are energized from the line terminal I2, the conductor 28, switch 21, the conductor 29, the terminal I3, the conductor 26, the closed timer switch 22, and the conductor 25 to the solenoid and driving means, and therefrom to the other line terminal I1.

The energization of the solenoid 2I closes the switch means I I, thereby closing the circuit from the line terminal I2 through the conductor 86, switch contact members 83, the conductor 85 to the load terminal I4, and therefrom through the load conductor I5 and back through the load conductor I6 to the other line terminal I1. Upon energization, the solenoid 2I also raises the plunger 69 to cause the rough surface of the clutch member 61 to engage the clutch elements 48 and 5I, whereby to couple the driving means M to the shaft 59 for driving the latter.

As the shaft 59 is thus rotated against the action of the spiral spring I21, the dial or disc H1 and the arm I23 are rotated in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, causing the pin I22 carried by the dial to disengage the switch operating arm II6 and the lug I25 on the arm I23 to move toward engagement with the switch operating arm II6. As the time indicated on the dial II1 by the pointer I24 elapses, the lug I25 engages the switch operating arm H6 and moves it from the limiting stud 34 to the limiting stud 35, thus rotating the shaft H4 in a direction to swing the switch Contact member IElI out of engagement with the switch contact mlember 91, whereby to open the timer switch 22.

The opening of the timer switch 22 interrupts the circuit including the driving moans M and the solenoid 2|, which are thus dc'energized,

thereby permitting the solenoid core 16 to return to its lower position. When the core 16 is thus released by the solenoid, the switch arms 81 and 94 disengage the contact members 83 and 93, respectively, of the switch means II, thus interrupting the supply of energy to the load and assisted by the gravity, the spring 12 lowers the plunger 69 to move the clutch member 61 from operative engagement with the clutch elements 41 and 5|. I

When the clutch element 5I is disengaged by the clutch member 61, the shaft 59 is free to rotate and the spring I21 rotates the shaft as well as the dial H1 and the arm I23 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 1, 3, and i. That reverse rotation of the shaft 59 causes the lug I25 on the arm I23 to disengage the switch operating arm H6 and to return to its original or reset position. During the return movement of the lug I25, the pin I22 carried by the disc II1 engages the switch operating arm I I6 and swings it from the limiting stud 35 to the limiting stud 34, thus rotating the shaft II4 to close the timer switch I 22. Upon closing the timer switch, the foregoing cycle will be repeated and will be continued as long as the main control switch 21 remains closed.

While I have described a. preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A control apparatus for making and breaking an electrical circuit, comprising a circuit control switch, a timer switch, timer switch operating means, driving means for said operating means, clutch means for connecting said driving means to said switch operating means, and electromagnetic means controlled by said timer switch for operating said circuit switch and said clutch means.

2. A control apparatus for making and breaking an electrical circuit, comprising a circuit switch, a timer switch, operating means for opening and closing said timer switch, driving means for driving said operating means, said driving means being controlled by said timer switch, clutch means for connecting said driving means to said operating means, and electromagnetic means controlled by said timer switch for closing said circuit switch and for operating said clutch means to connect said driving means to said operating means whereby said operating means opens said timer switch to cause said electromagnetic means to open said circuit switch.

3. A control apparatus for periodically making and breaking an electrical circuit, comprising a circuit switch, a timer switch normally closed, switch operating means for opening said timer switch, driving means controlled by said timer switch for driving said switch operating means whereby to open said timer switch at predetermined intervals, clutch means for connecting said driving means to said switch operating means, other driving means controlled by said clutch means for driving said switch operating means whereby to close said timer switch after it has been opened, and means controlled by said timer switch for closing said circuit switch when said timer switch is closed and for opening said circuit switch when said timer switch is opened, and means for operating said clutch means to cause said other driving means to close said timer switch after it has been opened by the first said driving means.

4. In a control apparatus for periodically making and breaking an electrical circuit, a normally closed timer switch, switch operating means for said timer switch, driving means controlled by said timer switch for driving said switch operating means, and electromagnetically operable clutch means controlled by said timer switch for drivingly connecting said driving means to said switch operating means.

5. In a control apparatus for periodically making and breaking an electrical circuit, a normally closed timer switch, switch operating means for opening said timer switch, driving means controlled by said timer switch ior driving said switch operating means to open said timer switch after a predetermined time interval, a friction clutch element driven by said driving means, a friction clutch element for driving said switch operating means, a clutch member having a rough suriace engageable with both said clutch elements, whereby said driving means will drive said switch operating means, and electromagnetic means controlled by said timer switch for operating said clutch member.

6. In a control apparatus for periodically making and breaking an electrical circuit, adjustable indicating means for adiustably indicating the periodicity of control for an electrical circuit, means for driving said indicating means in accordance with the indicated periodicity, means for resetting said indicating means to its adjusted position after it has been driven by the driving means, and a timer switch controlling said driving means and operable by said adjustable indicating means, said timer switch including a switch contact member, a shaft having a switch operating arm thereon, a pivoted U- shaped member having a switch contact member thereon, toggle connecting means connecting said shaft and said U-shaped member whereby said U-shaped member is operable from said shaft tor causing the'last said switch contact member to engage and disengage the first said contact member.

LEWIS W. COREN. 26 

